Clip assembly



June 6, 1939. J F|ELD|NG 2,161,668

CLIP ASSEMBLY Filed Feb. 20, 1957 INEN TOR. 70% Zia/(1349f A TTORNEYS.

35 alone;

Patented June 6, 1939 UNITED ES CLIP'ASSEMBLY 'John Fielding, North Providenca R. 1.; .Union Trust Company, executors ofsaid John Fielding, deceased; said Fieldingandsai'dexecutors fassignors to Joseph PfiwhitakerpApponaug,

Application February'20,=193f7,lSerial. n 126,879

15 Claims.

This invention relates to.. an assemblage of a .plurality ofdistinct articles of jewelry and hasfor .one of its objects the formation of a brooch when ornamental .clips are assembled together, while J tthe ornamental clips of the assemblage are ca- .pable of use independently.

Anotherobjectof the invention .is the sliding ..0f the :parts into iassembled relation and locking them into this assembled relation by some releas- -.able means.

Another object of the inventionis the provision ofa .means for holding the parts in assembled .relationwhich will be such .that various widths of the parts may be assembled on lthe same base .15 without need :of reconstruction of the .holding parts of the device.

Another object of the invention is the sliding .ofthe parts into. their desired position from vari- -ous angles, it .being unnecessary to align :these lpartsperfectly-for the moving-of them into their desired finished position.

LWith these-and other objectsinview, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, as will be more fully described-and particuk .larly pointed out in the appended claims.

530 Showing the base for the assembly of the clips;

Fig. 3 is a sectional viewonline 3-3 of Fig. 2;

.Fig. 4 is a bottomplan viewof-one of theclips alone;

.Fig. .5 is a sectional view of one of the clips Fig. 6 is a sectional view on line 6-6 of 'Fig. 3; Fig. '7 is a sectional view onlline'l-I of Fig. 3;

.Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the base;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of .a .fragmental portion of the base showing the backjaw of the clip .as positioned thereon just prior to beingslid "into locked position;

Fig. 10 is a bottom plan view of a modified form of base and holding device for the clips;

Fig. 11 is .a sectional viewon line ll-H of Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 is-a bottom view of the clip alone such as used in the structures of Figs. 10 and 11.

It is frequently desirable that a brooch or breast pin which is for ornamental use for one occasionbe of such structure that the parts may be separated into separable parts to be worn on a different occasion, or on a different part of the dress or in the hair or the like, and I have provided an arrangement whereby a plurality 'of clips (cuss-:20);

which may be utilized separately may .be as isembled'to be worn as a brooch or breast pin, and the following is a more detailed description of the present embodiment of this invention, illustrating the preferred means by which these advantageous ,results .may be accomplished:

With reference to the drawing, 15 designates the .base which -as,illustrated .more particularly in -Fig. .-;8 .of.-sheet stock without out portion to lighten the same and give it some artistic or ornamental appearance, some of these out out portions having functional value such, for instance, as theaopening I4 which serves to pro vide :an abutment 01' av catch for a latch which is carried by a-clipto-be assembled thereon. Hook shaped projections l6 are formed from the cut out stock and bent to stand up above the contacting surface I] of the base with the over- ;hanging fingerportions l8 extending as illustrated in Fig. 8. Upon the surface opposite from that of the contacting surface I! I have provided a pinstcmjointifl having a pin stem 2| and a catch .22 for holding the pin stem in closed position.

- These projections are arranged in sets of three designated -A, B,-and C which are symmetrically -.-arranged upon the base, one set being for receiv-' ing-one clipijaw and the other set being for receiving andholding the other clip jaw. The pro- .jections'arearranged to overhang to one side of the upstanding portion instead of on both sides .to forms. T-so as to require less fitting of the 7 parts to-slide'beneath them than were two sides to befitted. Three projections A, B, and C in the set-are not necessary inasmuch as two projections may serve with either A or C omitted and their corresponding opening in the clip except that with such omission right and left clips could "not be interchanged. The two or more projections serve to better align the parts but a single wide projection located at B may suflice under some conditions, either alone or with some alignin'g'member.

" The clips each comprise an ornamental front :portion'23having a back jaw 24 hingedly mounted at 25 "on the mounting member 26 which is secured to this ornamental portion 23. The back jaw and ornament 23 are urged toward eachother by a spring at the hinge joint. This back-jaw is proprojections A and C, while the cut portion 32 receives the projection B of the set when this jaw is positioned on the base in the manner as illustrated in Fig. 9. The cut out 32 has rounded edges 4| for guiding the projections to position even though the clip be tilted at an angleto the base. After this position of the jaw and base has been provided a sliding of the jaw on the base will cause the portions adjacent to these openings 3| and 32 to be moved beneath the overhanging fingers l8 of the projections and thus the jaw held in place against movement away from the base. The protuberance 30 of the latch 29 will extend into the opening l4 and engage the edge thereof to lock the jaw against movement to release position. If, however, it is desired to remove the jaw from the base it is merely, necessary to press upon the raised finger portion 33 of the latch 29 to disengage the protuberance from the opening l4 and while thus depressed the jaw may be slid back to the position such as illustrated in Fig. 9 that it may be lifted from the base by the projections l6 passing through the openings 3| and 32.

The cut out portions of the back jaw 24 about the latch 29 are such as to leave inwardly projecting gears 35 which are spaced from the latch 29 but sufficiently approach it to prevent the finger which forces down the latch from passing between these portions 35 and thus these portions provide an effective stop to prevent'the finger from straining or excessively bending the latch end thus so rupturing it as to destroy its effective operation. The tip of the latch 29 extends downwardly as shown in Fig. 5 to prevent its catching in the clothing.

When the two clips are assembled on the base I5 they will abut on the line 36 and form a continuous ornamental surface or brooch as shown in Fig. 1.

In some instances a modified structure may be provided in which the base plate 3'! as illustrated in Fig. 10 and somewhat similar to the base above described is provided with rolledin edges 38 which receive the outer peripheral edges 39 of a back jaw 40 adjacent its hinge which jaw is in somewhat modified shape so its opposite edges may be as shown in Fig. 11 to hold the back jaw to the base. The latch 29 functions as previously in an opening H1 in the base. In this instance a little greater sliding of the parts is necessary than in the structure above it being merely necessary in the former structure to depress the latch 29 and move the clip a small amount when complete release of the parts could be had, whereas in the structure shown in the modification in Figs. 10 to 12 a longer movement is necessary to effect complete release.

The foregoing description is directed solely towards the construction illustrated, but I desire it to be understood that I reserve the privilege of resorting to all the mechanical changes to which the device is susceptible, the invention being defined and limited only by'the terms of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A clip assembly comprising a base member having a contacting surface and rigid undercut portions extending above its surface, a pair of clips, each having a back jaw with cut away portions adapted to lie substantially flat on the surface of said base with parts adjacent said undercut portions adapted to be slid beneath said undercut portions upon a relative movement of said jaws toward each other and with respect to said base.

2. A clip assembly comprising a base member having a contacting surface and rigid undercut portions extending above its surface, a pair of clips, each having a back jaw with cut away portions adapted to lie substantially fiat on the surface of said base with parts adjacent said undercut portions adapted to be slid beneath said undercut portions upon a relative movement of said jaws and base, and means to lock said base and jaws in assembled position, comprising resilient latches on one part and abutments formed by cutting out part of the stock of the other part to be engaged by said latches.

3. A clip assembly comprising a base member having a contacting surface and undercut portions extending above its surface, a pair of clips,

each having a back jaw with cut away portions adapted to lie substantially flat on the surface of said base with parts adjacent said undercut portions adapted to be slid beneath said undercut portions upon a relative movement of said jaws and base, and means to lock said base and jaws in assembled position, comprising resilient tongues on said jaws and abutments formed by removal of portions of said base to be engaged by said tongues and hold the parts in assembled position.

A. A clip assembly comprising a base member having a contacting surface and a generally hook shaped protuberance standing up therefrom, a clip having a back jaw with an opening to receive said protuberance and adjacent portions to be slid beneath the hook portion of said protuberance by .a relative movement of said base member and jaw.

5. A clip assembly comprising a base member having a contacting surface and a generally hook shaped protuberance standing up therefrom, a clip having a back jaw with an opening to receive said protuberance and adjacent portions to be slid beneath the hook portion of said protuberance by a relative movement of said base member and jaw, and means to lock the jaw in position with its said portions beneath said protuberance.

6. A clip assembly comprising a base member having a contacting surface and a generally hook shaped protuberance standing up therefrom, a clip having a back jaw with an opening to receive said protuberance and adjacent portions to be slid beneath the hook portion of said protuberance by a relative movement of said base I member and jaw, and means to lock the jaw in position with its said portions beneath said protuberance, comprising a resilient latch on one part and an abutment formed by cutting out part of the stock of the other part to be engaged by said latch.

'7. A clip assembly comprising a base member having a contacting surface and a generally hook shaped protuberance standing up therefrom, a clip having a back jaw with an opening to receive saidprotuberance and adjacent portions to be slid beneath the hook portion of said protuberance by a relative movement of said base member and jaw, and means to lock the jaw in position withits said portions beneath said protuber .ance, comprising a resilient tongue on said jaw and an abutment formed by removal of a portion of said base to be engaged by said tongue and hold the parts in assembled position.

8. A clip assembly comprising a base member having a contacting surface and a plurality of generally hook shaped protuberances standing up therefrom, a clip having a back jaw with openings to receive said protuberances and adjacent portions to be slid beneath the hook portion of said protuberances by a relative movement of said base member and jaw.

9. A clip assembly comprising a base member having a contacting surface and a plurality of generally hook shaped protuberances standing up therefrom in generally triangular arrangement, a clip having a back jaw with openings to receive said protuberances and adjacent portions to be slid beneath the hook portion of said protuberances by a relative movement of said base mem her and jaw.

10. A clip assembly comprising a base member having a contacting surface and a plurality of generally hook shaped protuberances standing up therefrom symmetrically arranged in sets on opposite sides of the center portion of the base, a clip having a back jaw with openings to receive one set of.said protuberances and adjacent portions to be slid beneath the hook portion of said protuberances by a relative movement of said base member and jaw, and a similar clip to be similarly secured to said other set of protuberances.

11. A clip assembly comprising a base member having a contacting surface and a plurality of generally hook shaped protuberances standing up therefrom in generally triangular arrangement, a clip having a back jaw with openings to receive said protuberances and adjacent portions to be slid beneath the hook portion of said protuberances by a relative movement of said base member and jaw, and means to lock the jaw in position with its said portions beneath said protuberances, and symmetrically arranged with reference to said protuberances.

12. A clip for assembly with another part having a back jaw, a resilient locking tongue out out of said back jaw for engagement with an abutment to hold it in place, and means cut out of said back jaw disposed transversely thereof to prevent excessive manual finger depression of the locking tongue, comprising rigid inwardly projecting ear portions located adjacent the pressure point of said tongue to prevent the passage of the finger between them.

13. A clip for'assembly with another part having a back jaw, a resilient locking tongue out out of said back jaw for engagement with an abutment to hold it in place, and means cut out of said back jaw disposed transversely thereof and spaced from the tongue in proximity to the pressure point thereof to prevent the finger when forcing down the tongue from passing between the said means.

14. A convertible brooch and clip, comprising a bar pin formed of a piece of sheet metal having its edges bent forwardly to form channels, a pin secured thereto, detent slots extending transversely between the channels, and a pair of clips detachably applicable to said bar in with a slip fit, each clip comprising an ornamental member, and a base pivotally secured thereto, said base having parallel edges spaced apart to fit the channels of the bar pin, and a resilient rearwardly pointed detent member formed on said base and adapted to snap rearwardly into one 7 of the aforesaid detent slots when the clip is slid onto the bar pin.

15. A convertible brooch and clip, comprising a comparatively broad bar pin, a pair of comparatively broad faced clips each including an ornamental member and a base pivotally mounted thereon, said clips and bar pin being arranged for assembly and disassembly with the broad face of the clips lying generally parallel to the broad face of the bar pin, and releasable lock means for holding the parts in assembled relation, said lock means including a detent and a detent slot into which the detent is movable in a direction perpendicular to the broadsurfaces of the clips and bar pin, said detent slot being open toward and accessible at the rear face of the assembly and being sufficiently long to facilitaterelease of the detent by pressure of a finger-nail through said slot.

JOHN FIELDING. 

